The Year in Review: Mt. Healthy Christian Church

Let everything you say be good and helpful,
so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Ephesians 4:29

In November every year, the elders and I sit down to evaluate the health of the church, and the health of our shared ministry. To begin that process, I have shared what I believe to be the standard for considering the health and strength of the church, and for considering how I am functioning in my role as your Pastor. This is what I believe: “the purpose of the church is to build fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ, and to serve our community and world in Jesus’ name.”

The heart of the church is growing. That is the best sign to me that the Holy Spirit is alive and active, not just in the workings of the church’s ministry, but especially in the hearts of the people. In our community, our church’s reputation as a place where people are valued and cared for is strong. We open our hearts, we give our time and ourselves to others, and we strive to live up to the example of Jesus, who never compromised his love for others while at the same time never compromising on the nature of God’s truth he came to proclaim.

Our abilities and our shared gifts are growing. It is amazing and wonderful to see ministry happen that begins in the heart of volunteer leaders—a new women’s small group, the work of the Outreach Team, our Sunday School and Kids Praise ministries, the development of our Praise Band (in heart, faith, and musical skill), our relationship with the Mt. Healthy Alliance Food Pantry, all speak to the building of a spirit of listening for God’s voice and responding to his call.

As we look ahead to 2011, it is my plan, my prayer, and my hope that we will continue on the path we are traveling, that we will focus together on growing our faith, pursuing our call together to serve our community, and that we will be a church that sees what God is doing around us, joining God in that ministry.


Thanks to you and to God for the opportunity to serve as your Pastor,
Michael

Perfect Love Casts Out Fear

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart.
And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27

What is the greatest challenge to us as we live out our faith? Doubt? Pain? Disappointment? Anger? All these may be important challenges we must face; however, they find their hold on the human heart through the true opposite of faith: FEAR. Bible writers understood this. John wrote, “Perfect love casts out fear.” (1 John 4:18) Most of the time when God or a messenger of God appears in the Bible the first words are, “Do not be afraid.” Far too often, it is our fear that prevents us from experiencing the love of God in our lives.

Jon Ortberg (a terrific pastor and Christian writer) has this to say:
Try a thought experiment. Imagine not being afraid any more. Imagine facing financial difficulties or an irate boss with inner poise and resolve. Imagine receiving bad news and generating constructive ways to solve the problem rather than spiraling through the worst-case scenarios. Imagine facing rejection and obstacles without giving in to discouragement. Imagine acknowledging the mistakes you have made, moving confidently into the future. Imagine doing all of this with God as your partner and friend. Now imagine people around you coming to you when they are upset or discouraged because they find that your peace of mind is contagious. The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace, and what you are imagining is your mind immersed in the Spirit’s flow.
Peace doesn’t come from finding a lake with no storms. It comes from having Jesus in the boat. (Matthew chapter 8). The Me I Want to Be, p. 115-116

Take courage, my friends. There is no storm of life, no trial or struggle you face, no disappointment or frustration you experience, that God cannot deal with. Take a deep breath. Fill your mind with things that build you up, that encourage you. Pray. Strengthen, deepen, your faith in God. Seek out that friend who has already learned this lesson. Then become that friend other people turn to when they are afraid.

Paul put it another way: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” Romans 12:2

Perfect love casts out fear. Keep on reminding yourself. And remember: that kind of love comes straight from the heart of God.

In Christ, Michael

Relationship

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him. Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” Matthew 9:9-13

Relationships are more important than tasks. This is a truth from God that far too often gets forgotten. Have you ever felt like your life was so filled up with tasks that you have no time to build relationships with people? Here’s my question: when that happens, what do you do? If you decide that you have to get your work done, and the relationships will have wait until later, you have made the wrong choice. Relationships do not stay where they are until we have the time to pay attention to them. If ignored, relationships deteriorate. Many times I have had to be reminded of this fact, and always my realization that it is true comes with at least some pain and grief.

How does the scripture apply to my point? Well, God’s people had gotten very good at showing up and being energetic in their worship. They were focused on the task of worship, and they did that task well. However, showing up for worship and offering the correct sacrifices in the correct way was not resulting in lives full of mercy and love. The same thing can happen to us. We come to worship God faithfully. Every Sunday morning, we are there. The problem is that outside of worship, our lives look nothing like the loving and caring character of Jesus. And because of this, God looks at our worship and finds that it has no value any longer. God desires mercy more than sacrifice. The worship task has no worth of it does not strengthen our relationships with God and other people.

So, God is asking us, “What kind of people do we want to be?” The first step is to recognize that we are all, to borrow the word the Pharisees used, scum. That is, we are all broken and we all need God to forgive and to heal us. The superior attitude of the Pharisees was exactly their problem. It is sometimes our problem. But when we realize this, and in our hearts realize that God loves us and sent Jesus to save us anyway, then we can offer mercy to people from our hearts. Receiving the love of God, and realizing it, is the power that enables us to love and serve one another. Has Jesus called you? Only if you know that you are a sinner. Loved and forgiven people sharing love and forgiveness with others. This is Jesus’ mission for us.

In Christ,
Michael

Long Time Away--It's Good to Be Back

Well, friends (I say this because I think anyone who reads this is either my friend, my family member, or my colleague--some are all three. I love you, Heather!):

I have been ignoring this place for far too long.

Summer 2010 is one of those times I know will be looked back on as blessed and rich. Oh, it's been pretty complicated, too, at times, but really it has been beautiful.

At home--swimming pools and adventures! I will never forget the first day the 4 of us went down to Winton Woods to the creek along Miles Rd. and walked in the water. The crawfish!! The cool and clear water. Then we came back later that week after the rainstorm and watched what was serene and peaceful become flooded and dangerous. But still beautiful.

Camp! A trip to Warren. The building of new schools and the demolition of old ones. All part of the mosaic.

This morning I read a blog post from a friend and a seminary colleague, who along with his wife (who also was in seminary with Heather and me) is planting a church up in Delaware, OH, about how life is full of changes and that we have to fall in love all over again (and often) with our spouses and with God. Thanks, Roger, for that. This summer has given that reminder to me, too. I remember vividly the hot July afternoon in Columbus when Heather and I were married. Some details remain with laughter (my brother sticking green slime in his pants pocket at the rehearsal; getting from the hotel to the Schimmels for the reception, me in a t-shirt and jeans and Heather still in her wedding dress, like a scene from a movie). Some details were only revealed later (let's just say life had already changed, we just didn't know it yet).

And now, 17 years and change later, I love my life. I treasure and adore Heather more than ever, and thank God for her every day. Our girls are amazing--smart and courageous, loving and beautiful and completely unique. Looking at our girls (who are now 16 and 10), I am reminded of summers of my childhood and think about what they will recall when they are 40-something. Salisbury Beach, MA and Seabrook, NH. Brown's for seafood in a yellow shack and picnic benches with lobsters and steamer clams in tanks next to the kitchen. Dairy Queen. Card games and fried dough. Grilling chicken on little hibachis in the pouring rain while my mother held the umbrella. Listening to the ocean outside the window waking up in the morning. Even the gnats and green flies and jellyfish and horseshoe crabs.

All of which is to say--remember all the things, all the people, all the experiences, all the richness that is your life, because our memories drive us into our future. All the time, God is working to make us the people God made us to be. Appreciate the journey and thank God for all of it.

Peace and blessings to all, in Christ,
Michael

Mt. Healthy Christian Church 170th Anniversary

Dear Friend,

You are cordially invited to celebrate with the members and friends of the Mt. Healthy Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Mt. Healthy, Ohio, a most special event in the 170 year history of the Mt. Healthy congregation.

On Sunday, October 11, 2009, at 2:00 o'clock in the afternoon, the Mt. Healthy congregation will dedicate an Ohio Historical marker celebrating a legacy of ministry and mission, honoring the founders and early leaders who established that legacy. In 1839, founding Pastor David S. Burnet established the church at Mt. Healthy (known as Mt. Pleasant at that time) with the collaboration of Restoration Movement leaders, including legendary Restoration Movement Evangelist Walter Scott. Pastor Burnet is the son of Isaac Burnet, who served as the first mayor of the city of Cincinnati.

The Reverend Amy Gopp, Executive Director of the Week of Compassion, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) will address the congregation at 9:00 am and 10:45 am morning services in commemoration of the 170th Anniversary of the Mt. Healthy Christian Church, founded on October 10, 1839. The Mt. Healthy Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has served as a model for global ministry and missions since Pastor Burnet first organized the church's mission of Christian service.

Dinner in Fellowship Hall will begin at 12:30 pm in honor of all those who presently serve as volunteers in the Mt. Healthy church, followed promptly by a program of dedication for the marker in the sanctuary.

Please celebrate with us this special occasion in the life of our congregation. You may R.S.V.P. at (513) 521-6029 or at mhcc@fuse.net.

The Mt. Healthy Christian Church (MHCC) 170th Anniversary Celebration Committee and members of the church look forward to sharing this day with you.

Donald M. Steffy,
MHCC Church Historian and Celebration Committee Chairperson

Rev. Michael D. Doerr
Pastor, Mt. Healthy Christian Church

Wilmington Conference

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.
1 Timothy 4:12

I had the enormous privilege to be an Assistant Director at Wilmington Conference this summer. The opportunity came unexpectedly, in the middle of the rest of life, you might say. Several other plans were set aside (with no small sacrifice made by Heather, to whom I am amazingly grateful), and through much prayer the decision was made to accept the invitation. I have to say up front that it is strange going to camp as an Assistant Director when I had never before even attended a CYF Conference. This was Patricia’s first year at Conference as well, so the two of us, rookies both, headed up to Camp Christian together.

The week itself was filled with laughter, filled with the Holy Spirit, and filled with this inner sense that what I was witnessing was a glimpse of the kingdom of God. Male and female, pale skin and dark skin, 1st year and 4th year, adult and teenager, all part of God’s work to build up the hearts of God’s people. Nic Turner was such a great Boy-co (Co-President of the Conference). You see, Nic was serious when he needed to be, knew when and how to be silly and playful, and generally led the Conference through all the variety of the week. This young man, whom far too many of us have known his whole life but still don’t really know, showed depth and warmth and friendship and faith. And he wasn’t alone. Nic’s leadership would not have been as strong as it was without the support of his lifelong friends Zakk and Alex. Of course, they were the ones on the silly side of life, but that was good. Molly is and was the friend her peers could lean on. Then there was my Patricia, who drank in the experience and had a terrific first year.

As I pray over the week, my prayer for all of us is that we will consider those times when we have seen the kingdom of God all around us, and that when we do those times will stick with us as we live our faith. You see, the kingdom of God is more real than the “real world”, because life in God’s reign will last forever, and in the end, love and faith and God have the last word. I will always remember the week we shared. Thank you, God, for getting me there and for opening my eyes and my heart. And thank you, Mt. Healthy, for the honor of sharing my heart with you.

In Christ,

Michael

Amazing What a Little Relaxation Can Do

This week we've been on vacation. Not the get in the car, drive several hours, do so much that you need a vacation from your vacation kind of vacation. Instead, this has been a vacation where we get out of bed when we wake up, we sit on the back porch sipping coffee and watching the cars hurry to wherever they are going, we laugh and play, we can be quiet and reflective, and generally, we can be thankful for the life we share together and grateful for the way God moves in our lives and in the lives of our churches.

After a couple of days, it became clear just how much this vacation was needed. I had begun to lose focus on the life of the church and how we can serve our community. I got caught up in the immediate, day to day operation of the church. But amazingly, prayer this week has been full of the voice of God. Little mustard seeds, creative ideas, future-oriented and big picture stuff that makes life in Mt. Healthy seem more exciting, more challenging, more about God, more about being followers of Jesus.

So, as I reflect on that, here's something for you: do you need a vacation? Ask yourself a couple of questions. What happens when you pray? Are you seeing the big picture? Are you "seeing visions and dreaming dreams" when you take time to listen for the voice of God in your life, in the church's life, in the community's life, in the world?

Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. Genesis 2:3

In Christ,

Michael